WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes recently talked about the guidance he received from John Cena. Cena, a 16-time WWE World Champion, held the face of WWE for over a decade. During this time, Cena set numerous records, including selling out arenas, granting Make-A-Wish requests, and achieving high merchandise sales.
Now, Cody Rhodes is following in John Cena’s footsteps as a top WWE star. He’s been the WWE’s leading man for over a year. Rhodes is also packing arenas, meeting fans after shows, and racking up impressive merchandise sales. He has become a major player in merchandise sales and has been part of shows that broke box office records.
In a recent interview on The Pivot Podcast, Cody Rhodes revealed that he used to travel with John Cena frequently in his early WWE days. This ended when Cena purchased his own bus. Now, having become the top merchandise seller and a leading figure in WWE, Rhodes emphasized the key lessons he learned, noting that as talent, there is often a sense of delusion.
He also talked about the drawbacks of comparing salaries among wrestlers, noting the unreliability of such information and its potential to create resentment among wrestlers. Rhodes mentioned seeking guidance from Cena specifically regarding his merchandise sales numbers.
John Cena’s response to Cody Rhodes’ merchandise sales
Cody Rhodes shared how John Cena responds when he sends him his sales numbers. Rhodes sends his merchandise figures to Cena not for praise but for candid evaluation, knowing Cena will provide constructive criticism rather than compliments.
He stated, “I get my merch sheet still of what I sold in the Garden, percentage, all this. I’ll tell you who I send it to. I don’t send it to him as ‘Hey, check it out.’ I send it to him because I know he’s going to tell me the truth. It’s (John) Cena. It’s never, ‘Unbelievable, great job, you’re there. You’ve made it.’ It’s always, ‘Well, why don’t you check the other shows you’re not on and see how you’re doing there.’ Come on, man.”
Rhodes, who has seen a surge in merchandise sales since his return to WWE, is now aiming to elevate the standard as the promotion’s top star.
